Nokia has exclusive access to some EA titles

Barry Cottle, Executive Vice President and GM for EA Interactive, took the floor at Nokia World and spoke about some exclusive content for Nokia consumers, and that these games are to be made available for free, with Series 40 receiving 40 titles first. He continued:

"This time, we’ll be designing our games for an awe-inspiring experience on Windows Phone for Nokia. That’s the best games for free plus exclusive content for Nokia users. It’s a big win for Nokia’s consumers worldwide"

Nokia will gain 20 EA titles, with 10 being developed by EA as well as games from Chillingo, their indie publishing arm. We're not sure if these exclusive titles will be made available to handsets from other manufacturers at a later date.

Reader comments

Nokia has exclusive access to some EA titles

So much for no fragmentation. 3rd party developers making exclusive games for Nokia WP7 phones? I don't like this. And, they are GOOD GAMES. Dead Space?!? Wow, an actual adult game...a GAMERS game for WP at last, and most users will be left out in the cold.Anyway, ranting aside, this is not a selling point for Nokia and Windows Phone. All of these games are available on the iPhone so there is no competitive advantage other than with users of the same platform!

"So much for no fragmentation." That is exactly what I first thought. It would be different if Nokia was making their own apps (like Nokia Maps and Nokia Music), but to get exclusivity from a third party is not acceptable. Imagine if every OEM did this. People would just go to iOS instead of choosing an incomplete ecosystem on WP. It just doesn't make sense. I think the best solution would be for them to be released first for Nokia and then later for other phones.

They mentioned a partnership between the two companies. they should be at least free for Nokia and available to buy for other brands.After all, Nokia is paying for them. But I do agree they have to make them available for all, even at a small price.

But it is why Microsoft has taken so many precautions to avoid it. Fragmentation leads to different phones over the same OS to have compatibility issues. MS might as well have allowed multiple screen resolutions if they are going to allow Nokia to have ultimate exclusivity.

this isn't fragmentation. do you even know what that means? it's the same thing as AT&T customers in the US having ilomilo for an exclusive period of time when wp7 launched last year. and do you honestly think that these games are going to be exclusive forever, rather than timed exclusives?

I already want a Nokia windows phone. Exclusive games is just a bad idea. Look at andriod and whats going on with tegra phones. Most consumers will have no idea that games are exclusive, and hate microsoft because they can't play the games their friends are playing. This screams BAD IDEA, do they really not see it?

By exclusive I hope the mean that it'll come out first on nokia phones and then to the rest of the WP7.5 handsets. Both of nokias phones are **** compared to the Focus S and the Titan, nokia doesnt have FF camera which is a nice selling point, as well as screens over 4". Both phones seem to be mediocre so I really do hope the next batch of phones are better. I personally am going with the Titan, but if this does turn out to be true I might end up going back to the iPhone. I've been a wp7 user since day 1 and if this is how they are going to treat us now, wanting everyone to go to nokia.... not cool man....

I would agree with that point if these were Nokia apps only available on Nokia phones. They are not. They are 3rd party games that are already available on competing phone platforms. WP loses here, unless this is timed exclusivity.

Well, I don't know either. It wouldn't make any sense from a business standpoint, each game developed for these phones can work for any WP7 device.I can understand if they do it like DLC, Nokia for a little bit and then release it for the rest of the LIVE market.

Guys ilomilo was exclusive for a time. Also note that there is flight control on their games and currently we can all receive that. I think they will only be exclusive for a time and probably for free, something LG did for wp7 already. The apps were available but for LG users for free and the other users had to pay for them.

@garymoncrieff...Exactly! Nokia is PAYING to have these games to be exclusive to Nokia devices. And whether the exclusivity is permanent, or temporary, Nokia came up out of their pockets to pay for the priviledge.Not sure why anyone with, or who plans to purchase, a HTC, Samsung, LG, or Dell device, would expect Nokia to pay for your entertainment. If you want these specific games, purchase a Nokia device! It's really very simple :)There is absolutely nothing stopping the other WP oems from funding similar deals with their.own.money! Don't hate on Nokia because they are stepping up to the plate for their WP customers; and don't blame Microsoft for allowing Nokia to do this for their customers. In the end, it means more sales for Nokia, and more users for WP.

How about exclusive games for WP7 period. Early adapters getting screwed again. All of a sudden multiple manufacturers are looking like a bad idea and Iphone is looking like the smart thing to do. Dumb move Microsoft really dumb move. I have a 3 year contract so this makes getting a Nokia even worse and who is to say that Nokia will have phones at my carrier. Why is there a huge selection of Android phones and only two not so popular windows phones at my carrier. why isn't there at least 4 to 6 phones at each carrier. your presence on the shelf is what matters don't you get it?

I would hope for free or discounted on Nokia Lumia phones but with also the ability to pay for it at a higher fee on other wp7 phones. At worst, I'd expect delayed release on other WP7 devices to follow nokia's exclusive release.

I'm pretty sure the reason why Nokia has this exclusive deal is to differentiate themselves from the other manufacturers and not fragment the ecosystem. They must have paid millions of dollars to EA for this (EA doesn't do things cheap), and I highly doubt Microsoft is responsible for this exclusivity since it's coming from Nokia's money. If you want to complain, complain to your phone's manufacturers for not getting this kind of deal.

I can live with Nokia owners getting first dibs on those games but exclusive games? I just don't think that's a good idea at all. You'll have us Samsung, HTC & others a little disgruntled. I bought the Focus because Nokia wasn't available at the time. When I upgrade my phone next week, Nokia STILL won't be available where I am. So I miss out? Lame. Just make them available to the platform after X days or weeks.

Personally I don't give a **** if Nokia paid for it. It's Microsoft's responsibility to make sure their is parity between all platforms. Having exclusive games should not be part of the deal. They better not be Xbox Live branded either or I will start to use real curse words. This is fragmentation for sure if you don't think so your a loyal idiot. Differentiate yourself in different ways like HTC with their attentive phone app Or the Surround with Yamaha speakers or LG with Playtoo and their Panorama shots. As I said before this is just dumb.

It's Microsoft's job to ensure parity between the platforms, meaning, it is their job to ensure that the OS that they produce is at least comparable to iOS, Android, etc. It's not their job to obliterate competitive advantage among their own customers, i.e., the manufacturers who purchase Microsoft's OS. You know competition is good, right? It's the capitalist way.

I hope the exclusive deal will remain forever or at least a year.Anything less than that will make the differentiation effort less ahievable. Nokia for now test-launch in some markets first and that takes a few months which will expire its exclusivity if it's 3 months or 6 months will make the rest of the market feel the exclusivity a bit short.From what we have seen from the comment, Nokia's strategy works well. It makes people wanting. A lot of them will surely buy Nokia's regardless their comments.Nokia paid for its customers satisfaction. If you want it, buy it OR force your OEM to do the same :D

This is not fragmentation but this isn't good either. Most potential Windows Phone buyers don't read WPCentral, Pocketnow or Engadget, they pick a phone that's appealing to them. So they wouldn't know about this sort of deal and would feel cheated should they opt for a Samsung or HTC phone. This can only attract negativity towards the platform which Microsoft doesn't need.A better deal would be to make these games cheaper or free on Nokia phones but still available on day one to other phones.

Why should they feel cheated for making their own decision to NOT purchase Nokia? I do not understand this concept of consumer's feeling cheated for the choices they make. Who is cheating them? Nokia? Then buy Nokia. Samsung, HTC? Then don't favor them with your business. Sheesh.

Well I did explain it if you had cared to actually read my comment. Say my brother goes to a shop looking for a WP7; he doesn't read WPCentral so he doesn't know that by opting for a HTC Titan he will be denied the chance to play Dead Space. He decides not to buy a Nokia because he needs a 4" screen at least. Do you feel this is right? We're talking about the same platform her, not a competing one. What about people whose carrier don't offer Nokia phones at all? Is it their fault too?Like I said, a better deal would be to make these games free or cheap on Nokia.

@Tahiti Bob...It is the consumers responsibility to research ANY purchase that they make, including cell phones.In every telecom, listed next to a device, is the product information card. Surely, each OEM and/or telecom will want the main benefits of said device highlighted on that card. And if a Nokia device is not sold at the same telecom as another WP oem device, AND if the consumer didn't do due diligence on the various WP product offerings, I don't see how the customer would feel 'cheated' buy Nokia; they may have buyers remorse if they discover at a later time the benefits that Nokia devices offer, but 'cheated', no. And even if a customer researches and knows the offerings of all WP oems (screen size, screen display technology, etc), the decision ultimately lies with the customer as to what he is willing to accept, and/or sacrifice, for the sake of the purchase he/she is about to make. When informed, people make decisions like these everyday!Again, it's the consumers responsibility to research products that they plan to purchase - it's their hard earned money, after all :)

@Tahiti Bob...the EA deal doesn't change anything about your description of potential Windows Phone buyers - absent of reading a blog, customers will choose a device that appeals to them anyway. If they don't read blogs, how will they know about the EA deal with Nokia?

I already lost interest in the Lumia 800 because of its PenTile screen, and the 710 for its weaker specs. Now they're giving it exclusives? Not cool. The marketplace needs all the great apps it can get, on EVERY phone.